Yesterday, I mentioned that I am a fan of Oasis' third album, Be Here Now. Don't know why people get so down on it; supposedly the songs aren't as strong as those on Oasis' first two albums and the arrangements are overblown wanking. Bollocks, I say! The songs undoubtedly aren't the concentrated bursts of Definitely Maybe or (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, but what is? For my money, "My Big Mouth" and "It's Getting Better Man" are as good as any of the album tracks on those two albums, and "Stand By Me" is a peak for the band.
While listening it today, I realized that my feelings for it are similar to those of Chinese Democracy. Sure, it's overblown and egotistical, but is it any moreso than Houses of the Holy? I am still surprised, too, that the album has not been seen more favorably as time passed (like Exile on Main St.) I'm not saying that it's equal to those, but it certainly doesn't strike me as being handicapped by its ambitions. Sure, almost every song could be trimmed by about a minute, but it doesn't make those songs bad.
Oasis is a band that is marked by its audacity. They wanted to be a modern Beatles, and currently think they rank with the Rolling Stones. Be Here Now is kind of a tipping point, but it certainly outranks the two albums that follow it. From here on, they scaled down a bit without saying so. Frankly, I enjoy when a band aims for the sky and burns a little close to the sun.
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